In His Father's Wake
by arineat
Summary: Teddy has wanted Harry for years, but fear of rejection has kept him silent until the day he stumbles across his father's old diary. With his perceptions of Harry shattered, Teddy finds the courage to take a chance. Written for the LJ Teddy fest


**Title: In His Father's Wake**

**Creator: arineat**

**Prompt Number: 30 in the LJ Teddy_Fest**

**Rating: R**

**Pairing/characters: Teddy/Harry**

**Warnings/content: Light sexoring, cross-gen**

**Medium or word count/b: ~6500**

**Summary: Teddy has wanted Harry for years, but fear of rejection has kept him silent until the day he stumbles across his father's old diary. With his perceptions of Harry shattered, Teddy finds the courage to take a chance.**

**Notes: Throughout this writing experience, I have been asking myself "Why, why, WHY did you choose THIS pairing?" (I'm a Drarry girl through and through and never thought I would find myself writing Teddy/Harry. Ever.) And then I would reread the prompt and remember. I loved the idea of Remus speaking from the past; the father Teddy never knew giving him the courage to go after what he wanted. So thank you, prompter, for that! I hope you enjoy it!**

**Thank you to dysonrules & digitallace for beta work, accioscar for Brit-picking, and cinnatart for her brainstorming and unfailing support. **

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. All works posted at this community were written entirely for fun without making any profit. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**~oOo~**

**In His Father's Wake**

"Thanks again for this, Harry," Teddy called over his shoulder as he hauled the last of his boxes up the stairs to the third floor of Grimmauld Place.

"It's no problem, Teddy. I have plenty of room here and I know how crowded the Ministry dormitories can be," Harry replied, his voice muffled by the large box he was carrying.

Teddy smiled as he entered the bedroom at the end of the corridor and dropped the box he carried, a tiny cloud of dust rising in its wake. Harry entered beside him and followed suit, causing Teddy to sneeze as another plume of dust was sent swirling through the air.

"Heh, sorry about that. I haven't had many guests since Kreacher died."

"Don't worry about it. You're doing me a favour letting me stay here. The least I can do is clean my own room," Teddy said with an easy grin. Harry blinked at him a few times before returning his smile.

"Right. Okay, then. Do you need any more help with this stuff?"

"No, I think I've got it from here."

"All right. I'll let you get settled in while I see about something for dinner."

With a nod, Harry stepped out and closed the door behind him. Teddy waited until he heard footsteps on the stairs before he dropped onto his bed with a sigh. This was probably a mistake. No. This was definitely a mistake; living alone in the same house as the man he'd fantasised about since the second his sex drive had kicked in, but he couldn't help himself. When Harry had offered him a room at Grimmauld Place, Teddy'd jumped at the chance to be near him.

Teddy knew it was wrong to think about Harry the way he did. Harry was his godfather and would never be interested in him that way. Teddy would always be a little boy to him. He had to get over this ridiculous crush. Some things were easier said than done, though, and no matter what, Teddy found himself unable to stop wanting Harry. What had started out as innocent hero-worship had evolved into a full blown unrequited love that had tortured him since he'd hit puberty.

Teddy had done his best to ignore it, but just when he thought he'd got Harry out of his head, he'd be there being gorgeous and perfect and so bloody tactile. For as long as he could remember Harry had been a touchy-feely sort of person; Teddy suspected it had something to do with the way he grew up, but he could swear that Harry touched him more than anyone else. It was as if Harry knew of his crush and secretly wanted to encourage it.

Of course, he knew that was ridiculous. Harry would never be that cruel. And if he thought he sometimes spied a glimmer of lust in those perfect green eyes, Teddy always chalked it up to his own wishful thinking.

As soon as he was old enough, Teddy had begun dating everything with legs, convinced that his inappropriate attraction simply stemmed from an overabundance of hormones and a lack of experience. He'd been fairly popular throughout his Hogwarts days and had taken every opportunity he could to focus on getting Harry out of his system. Teddy slept with boys and girls indiscriminately and, though he always made every effort to commit himself to them, inevitably he ended up breaking things off with the old 'it's not you, it's me' line.

The worst break-up by far had been Victoire. She was the only person who knew the truth. She had seen the way Teddy had looked at Harry one Christmas and broken up with him, tears in her eyes and a sneer of disgust on her face. Teddy suspected the only reason Victoire hadn't told anyone was because she didn't want people to think she couldn't manage to keep her boyfriend interested in her over a middle-aged man. She'd never been able to handle pity. He had stopped dating all together after that. It had seemed so much easier to simply throw himself into school work and ignore his desires all together.

All of his hard work had paid off and Teddy had suddenly found himself accepted into the Auror Academy in London. He'd been so excited, he'd Flooed straight to Grimmauld Place and told Harry. Harry had hugged him tight, beaming with pride and affection. Teddy had had to forcibly fling himself away from him to stop himself from doing something unthinkable. Like kissing him. When his godfather had offered him a room at the old Order headquarters, Teddy couldn't bring himself to say no. And now he was here. In his father's old room. Living alone with the object of his fantasies.

"Bugger."

Sighing, Teddy rolled up and off the bed and opened the first box. A smile spread across his face as he began to pull out the contents. He'd always enjoyed this part of moving; getting to the new place and making it personal by adding his belongings. The methodical process had always seemed to soothe Teddy's nerves and as he worked his way through the boxes – hanging clothes, putting up photos and shelving books – he found that the troubles that had weighed so heavily on him earlier began to melt away. They'd be back, he knew, but he welcomed the short respite.

Covered in dust from the numerous cleaning spells he'd cast as he'd worked, Teddy moved to place the last of his belongings away. As he opened the top drawer of the bedside cabinet, he raised his wand, intending to cast yet another cleaning spell and froze. There, lying amongst the dust, was a well-worn leather-bound book. His brow furrowed with curiosity as he lowered his wand, reached into the drawer and lifted it.

Teddy turned it over in his hands, gently brushing the thick layer of dust off of the cover. His eyes widened as he noticed a faded engraving in the bottom right-hand corner.

_R. J. Lupin_

For a moment, Teddy just stared at the peeling gold letters, his heart hammering in his chest. This book had belonged to his father. Blinking a few times in an effort to clear his head, he opened the cover with trembling hands.

_January 2nd 1998_

_Christmas gave no real relief from the war as I had hoped it might. Dumbledore's death has taken a vicious toll on the Order and our efforts seem pointless at times. It's as though for every person we save, You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters claim another five..._

A small sound of wonder escaped Teddy as he read the first few lines within. It wasn't a book. This was his late father's private diary. Judging by the date at the top of the first entry, it detailed his thoughts for the last few months of his life. Cleaning and unpacking forgotten, Teddy settled in and began to read. His fingers trembled as he turned the pages, devouring every thought and feeling Remus had had just before he'd died. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was close to his father. Teddy's fingers clenched as he read about raids, losses and sorrow. There were good times as well; mentions of birthdays and anecdotes about Teddy's antics and milestones as a small baby. It was a rare, somewhat surreal, gift to have such an inside look at what life was like during the war from his father's perspective and Teddy couldn't put it down. Remus' words made him feel as if he were there in the past, experiencing them for himself.

Nearly an hour of reading later, Teddy came across an entry that made his eyes go wide and his heart skip a beat:

_March 1998_

_Harry arrived today looking grim and determined as ever. If ever there was a doubt in my mind that he would fail to defeat Voldemort, it would have evaporated at seeing the hardened look in his eyes. I have no doubt that he will kill that madman and save us all. It kills something inside of me to think that this beautiful, vibrant boy has had to see and do the things that he has had to throughout his short life. That he should have to carry such a heavy burden; the weight of the Wizarding world resting on his shoulders. What I wouldn't give to ease it somehow. To take some of that responsibility from him._

_Things are still a bit awkward between us since the wedding, but I cannot seem to make it right. It would have been wrong to give him what he wanted. How could I when I can so easily imagine the look on Prongs' face were he ever to find out? No. I was right to tell him 'no'. Though a part of me wanted so desperately to let him have his way, if only to ease his suffering for a time. Tonks has noticed the tension, but to her credit hasn't asked me to explain. Merlin knows I could never lie to her, but how on Earth would I find the words to tell her that my would-be godson practically begged me to take his virginity?_

Teddy reread the last sentence at least ten times as his mind frantically processed the information. Harry had been attracted to his father? Had asked – _begged_ – for Remus to fuck him? As far as Teddy had known up until that point Harry only dated women. Sure, they were few and far between, and the last serious relationship he could remember Harry having was with Ginny Weasley and that had ended more than ten years ago, but he'd never really thought about why that was. All he knew was one day they were engaged and the next, they weren't. Teddy's mind whirled at the notion that the man he'd always thought of as unyieldingly straight had wanted to give his virginity to another man.

The revelation sent a spark of hope through Teddy. If Harry had been with other men, if he was attracted to them, that meant he might have a shot. Teddy wasn't vain in any sense of the word, but he knew he was quite a decent-looking lad; with a tall, athletic build and the best of both his parents features, not to mention his Metamorphmagus abilities. He was fairly confident that if he actually tried, he could capture Harry's attention.

"Hey, dinner's ready."

Teddy started as Harry's voice drew him from his musings. He closed the diary and quickly slid it out of sight, sending Harry a guileless smile.

"All right. I'll be right down."

Harry swallowed and smiled back, lingering for a few moments before nodding and heading back down the stairs.

Teddy waited until he could no longer hear the sound of Harry's boots on the stairs before pulling the diary out and caressing the cover thoughtfully. Should he cross that line? Did he dare risk rejection? After so many years of pining, how could he not?

Taking a shaking breath, Teddy slipped the diary back into his bedside cabinet, dusted himself off and headed down to dinner with his heart pounding in his ears.

~O~

Teddy decided that the best way to go about letting Harry know about his feelings was to test the waters and see just how receptive he was to Teddy's attention. With that notion in mind, Teddy threw himself into the task of being charming. He followed the conversation with ease; laughing at Harry's jokes, making ones of his own and taking every opportunity he had to flirt. Though he seemed relaxed, Teddy kept his eyes sharp, cataloguing every hitched breath, unguarded look and each touch that lingered too long. He let his fingers cover Harry's when he passed the salt shaker and made sure his legs brushed against his beneath the table. Teddy had to force himself to swallow a sound of triumph when he noted the light blush that rose on Harry's cheeks.

Smiling and seemingly flustered, Harry rose from the table and began gathering the empty plates and utensils. If Teddy didn't know better, he'd almost swear his godfather was nervous. Without waiting to be asked, he rose, helped Harry gather the dirty dishes and made his way to the sink, standing a bit closer to Harry than necessary.

"You wash and I'll dry," Teddy offered with an easy grin. Harry answered it with one of his own, tension draining from his body as he filled the sink and fell into the familiar rhythm of the chore.

They worked in companionable silence; wash, rinse, dry, stack. If Teddy's fingers curled around Harry's a bit too often as he was handed a dish and their bodies brushed when it could obviously have been avoided, neither of them commented on it. Their easy silence was broken suddenly as a plate slipped from Harry's hand and landed back into the soapy water with a splash, sending suds flying at Teddy.

"Oi!" Teddy looked at Harry with a look of mock outrage. "This is my favourite top."

"Is it?" Harry asked innocently, shrugging his shoulders. "Funny enough I think it looks better that way."

"Why you...oh you're for it now, Potter!"

With that, Teddy leaned over and splashed a handful of soapy water at Harry. In mere moments the two grown men digressed into a pair of wet, laughing boys wrestling like hooligans. Suddenly, Teddy slipped on the wet floor and pitched forward, heading face-first for the ground. Harry's Seeker reflexes kicked in and instead, Teddy met the hard expanse of Harry's chest, the momentum of his fall pushing him back against the kitchen counter. The light, playful energy that had filled the kitchen dissipated in an instant and was replaced by a lightning sharp, tension-filled awareness . Teddy's heart pounded violently in his chest as he stared at Harry from inches away, his fingers curling around Harry's shoulders to keep himself steady.

Harry's gaze dropped to Teddy's mouth, naked want etched in his features as his hand tightened on Teddy's waist. It was all the encouragement he needed. Swallowing thickly, Teddy leaned forward to brush his lips against Harry's. Harry started and cursed as his head slammed into an overhead cabinet.

"Shit! Harry, are you all right?" Teddy asked, flushing with embarrassment all the way to his hair.

"Heh, yeah. Fine," Harry answered as he lifted a hand to rub at the back of his head, his eyes darting to look at Teddy and away again. Lowering his hand, he gently moved Teddy away from him and stepped back. "I think you'd better get ready for bed. Training starts tomorrow. I'll clean up the mess."

Teddy opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced as Harry pointedly turned around and began casting spells to dispel the water. The mood was gone and whatever had been about to happen between them was lost. Teddy's heart clenched at the thought, but he nodded at Harry's back.

"Yeah, all right. I, erm, I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight," Harry replied gently without turning around.

"G'night."

With a heavy sigh, Teddy turned and trudged up the stairs. As he got ready for bed, he replayed the night's events over in his head, reanalysing everything that had happened. He was certain Harry wanted him; it had been so plainly written on his face in that moment before their almost-kiss. What was stopping him? Was it his age or the fact that Teddy was his godson? Was it because of Remus?

Perhaps he had pushed too far, too fast. As he fell asleep, Teddy resolved to back off a bit. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Harry off.

~O~

A week passed and things more or less went back to normal between them. Teddy began his Auror training, filling his days with spells, physical defence training and a myriad of other subjects that kept him on his toes. Harry and he still spent the evenings together; had dinner and talked about their respective days. They hadn't done the washing up together since the night Teddy had moved in.

There were still moments with Harry that made Teddy's heart skip a beat; long, heated stares and lingering touches that had his mind racing with questions. Half of the time Teddy was convinced that he'd imagined their near-kiss and others he was certain that not only had he not imagined it, but that Harry was thinking of it and maybe even wishing he'd allowed it. One time Teddy even thought Harry was finally going to give in to the curiosity so obvious in his gaze, but he'd turned away at the last moment and blamed his closeness on a fictitious spider he claimed he'd brushed off of Teddy's shoulder.

By the end of the week, Teddy thought the mixed signals were going to drive him absolutely batty. It was with this thought in mind that he'd shut himself in the sitting room alone with his homework. A massive stack of training texts sprawled across the coffee table he sat behind. Teddy managed to get a full thirty minutes of studying done before his concentration was shattered by his housemate.

"Working hard, I see," Harry remarked casually as he crossed to take a seat on the sofa behind Teddy, his feet mere inches from where he sat on the floor.

"Yup," Teddy replied. He knew he probably sounded a bit short, but he couldn't help it. Any hope of studying properly seemed lost beneath Harry's presence.

"Would you mind if I watched a bit of telly?"

"No. It's fine." It was hardly as if the Muggle television would distract Teddy any more than Harry already was. They fell silent, the only sounds filling the room were the low murmur of the television and the occasional scritch scratch of Teddy's quill against parchment.

Ten minutes later, Teddy threw down his quill with a frustrated sigh. He'd read the same bloody page at least ten times and not a word of it had been absorbed.

"All right?"

"Yeah, I just can't seem to get this section," Teddy answered, tearing a hand through his hair which was a bright, unnatural red with his frustration.

"What subject is it?" Harry asked as he slid off of the sofa and came to kneel behind Teddy, looking over his shoulder.

Teddy's mouth went dry as he felt Harry's chest press against his back and his breath ghost in a hot whisper across his neck, raising chills. He swallowed thickly and managed to answer, "Defence."

Harry hummed and leaned closer, studying the text. Eyes drawn like a magnet, Teddy watched from a hairsbreadth away as Harry's eyes scanned the page, his brow drawn in a thoughtful arch over them. The sudden thought that he would greatly like to lick them had Teddy chuckling inaudibly to himself. His amusement fled as his gaze fell to the long column of Harry's neck, his Adam's apple bobbing enticingly. Following the line of his throat, Teddy's eyes fell to Harry's lips and found himself entranced by the soft, silent movement of them as Harry read the page. It was a habit that Teddy usually found endearing, though right then all it did was make his trousers tighten as he watched the shapes they made.

"All right, so this section is talking about intent. The emotion you put behind a spell is just as vital, if not more so, than the spell itself. Certain spells will only work with very specific intent; for example quite a few of the higher grade defence spells require malicious intent and if that motivation isn't there, they will fail," Harry paused as he turned to face Teddy, his eyes widening slightly as he noted their proximity. He swallowed noticeably as his gaze dropped to Teddy's mouth. "The key is control. Not to let that intent take over and allow it to destroy everything."

Something in his voice made Teddy think that perhaps he wasn't talking about spells anymore. Teddy flicked his tongue over his lips to wet them, his heart jumping as he noted the way Harry followed the movement with his eyes, and opened his mouth to ask him exactly what he meant. Before he got the chance to speak, Harry leaned in and covered Teddy's mouth with his own.

Teddy's breath hitched and his heart stopped briefly before it began pounding violently in his chest. Shaky hands lifted to clench at Harry's shoulders as Teddy fought to keep his balance. Time seemed to stand still as Harry's lips teased his, making his entire body tremble with want.

"Harry," Teddy moaned into his mouth as he pressed forward, eager to get as close as possible.

The sound of his name seemed to bring Harry to his senses and he pulled back, panting as he put distance between them. Teddy's face was a mask of lust-fogged confusion and he sat there for a long moment, trembling as he did his best to figure out what had just happened.

"Harry what...?"

"I'm sorry, Teddy. I shouldn't have done that," Harry apologised, his voice unsteady as he stood.

"Sorry?" Teddy rose quickly and gripped Harry's arm as he made to leave, pulling him around to face him. "Why are you sorry?"

"I kissed you."

"I noticed and quite frankly it was about time," he replied even as Harry shook his head.

"It was wrong of me to do that. You're my godson and I had no right to take advantage."

"It wasn't wrong," Teddy insisted as he tightened his grip on Harry's arm to keep him from running. "You weren't taking advantage."

"Yes, I was. You're staying with me in my house and I practically forced myself on you. I should know better. Have better control..."

"I don't _want_ you to have control," Teddy cried, his patience evaporating as he saw the look of heavy guilt in Harry's eyes. "I want you to kiss me Harry. I want you."

"You're too young to know what you want, Teddy. You're just a kid."

"Fuck you," Teddy growled. "My age has nothing to do with the way I feel. I've been in love with you for years."

Harry jerked back, his eyes wide and a soft gasp in his throat. "You can't know what real love is."

"Can't I? Love is caring for someone so much that you always put them above yourself. Love is wanting someone so much that it hurts. Love is being unable to get that person out of your head no matter how hard you try. Love is beautiful and painful and completely uncontrollable. Love is everything. _You_ are everything to me."

"You can't..." Harry choked out. He looked utterly gobsmacked; as if he couldn't remember his own argument. Teddy pressed his advantage, eager to have it all laid out bare.

"Do you think I haven't tried, Harry? Do you think I wanted to be in love with you when I knew you'd never once look at me the way I wanted you to? Merlin, I tried. I dated so many people, tried so hard to fall in love with someone else, but in the end it always comes back to you. You're in my head, Harry. In my heart. So deep that I'd swear you're a part of my soul. Please. Don't walk away from me."

"But...Remus..." Harry stuttered. "Remus would never forgive me."

Teddy's expression softened and his voice gentled, though a hint of pleading still laced his every word.

"My father loved you, Harry. He saw you for what you are; a good, caring man who only wants the best for everyone." Teddy released the arm he'd held captive and stepped closer, his tangled emotions shining in his eyes. "He would have been proud to see me with you."

"Teddy..." Harry's hand lifted to stroke lightly across Teddy's cheekbone. Teddy wrapped his hands around it and pressed it closer, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

"Just think about it. Please?" Teddy's request was a bare whisper filled with everything that he was.

Harry closed his eyes and nodded, letting out a shaky breath before he gently slid his hand from Teddy's grasp and slipped out of the room.

The second he was gone, all of Teddy's breath left him in a rush, leaving him a shivering, weak-kneed wreck. He made his way to the sofa and collapsed onto the spot that Harry had vacated, staring blankly at the television. Harry's kiss had been wholly unexpected and had completely shattered Teddy's control, but perhaps it was for the best. The cards were on the table and plain to see. He'd completely bared himself to Harry and now it was up to him. The ball was in his court.

Taking a steadying breath, Teddy moved to gather his books and study materials. There was no way he'd get anything done tonight. Glancing about for any sign of Harry, Teddy made his way up to his room.

~O~

Two weeks later, Harry still hadn't made up his mind. In fact, he'd done everything he could _not _to bring up their kiss or the awkward tension that had hung between them since that night. Teddy did his best not to push Harry, but any time he even hinted at the subject, his godfather would change the topic or clam up altogether. It left him feeling raw and uncertain and more confused than he could ever remember being.

They still followed the same routine; they ate their meals together, watched telly together and Harry still occasionally helped Teddy study, but there was always a purposeful distance between them, despite the longing looks he sometimes caught Harry sending him when he thought he wasn't looking. It was maddening, but Teddy did his best to wait it out patiently, distracting himself with training and classes. At least Harry's avoidance was good for something; Teddy had climbed to the top of his class and was at least four chapters ahead on his reading. Strangely enough, it didn't really provide much comfort. Just when Teddy began to think he couldn't cope with waiting any longer, things finally came to a head.

Teddy was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and doing his best to turn his thoughts off and get some sleep when heard a muffled cry from Harry's room. His eyes snapped open and he listened closely, wondering if he'd imagined the noise. Another loud shout had him out of his bed and rushing to Harry's room before he had even consciously decided to.

When he entered the bedroom, Teddy found Harry in the middle of his bed, sheets twisted around his legs as he thrashed against some phantom enemy. He moved to lean over him, reaching out to gently shake his shoulder as he called his name. Harry only thrashed harder.

"Harry!" Teddy called louder, dodging a flailing arm just before it could smash into his nose. He had a moment to be grateful for the extra training he'd been getting in before he had to dodge another fist. Letting out an exasperated huff, Teddy caught Harry's arm by the wrist and moved to straddle his hips, pinning him to the bed.

"Harry," he fairly shouted as he fought to still Harry's violent thrashing, "Harry, wake up."

Relief coursed through him as Harry's eyes finally blinked open. He flailed a bit more, clearly still confused.

"Harry, it's okay. You're awake now," Teddy said softly, loosening his grip on Harry's wrists once he stopped fighting against his hold. His hand lifted of its own volition to cup Harry's jaw, his thumb gently soothing the skin of his cheek. "You're all right. You're safe."

"Teddy?" Harry's voice was filled with pain, his eyes haunted by what he'd seen in his nightmare. "I couldn't help him. I tried, but I didn't get there in time. I never get to him in time."

"Shhh, It's all right. It was just a dream." Teddy shifted back on Harry's lap, pulled him into a sitting position and wrapped his arms around him, holding him to his chest as he ran his fingers through his hair. Harry clung to him like a frightened child for a few long moments before letting out a shuddering breath and pulling back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly, only the tiniest hint of sadness lingering in his eyes.

Now that the immediate worry of the moment had passed, Teddy finally noticed the position they were in and blushed. He swallowed hard and did his best to control his body's reaction to being on top of a half-naked, bed-warmed Harry.

"I wasn't asleep," Teddy admitted softly, grateful for the darkness of the room. It hid his blush well.

There was a moment of silence before Teddy spoke again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Teddy tried not to take it as a rejection; tried not to think that Harry might have easily shared it with Remus.

"Right. Well, you're awake now. I guess I should probably get off of you, huh?" he asked with a forced chuckle as he made to leave.

"Teddy," Harry murmured softly, stilling Teddy's retreat with a gentle, yet firm hand on his hip. His other hand lifted to cup Teddy's chin and turned his head so that Harry could meet his eyes. What he saw there made Teddy's heart skip a beat.

With a gentle tug, Harry urged Teddy closer and kissed him softly. It was short and a bit dry, but the feeling behind it had Teddy's head reeling.

"Thank you," he whispered, his lips brushing Teddy's as he said the words. He kissed him again and pulled back to look Teddy in the eye, his expression suddenly determined. "I've been thinking about it and I've decided that I want to give this a chance. I care about you, Teddy. I iwant/i you."

Teddy blinked and stared in surprise for a moment, his heart skipping a beat in his chest.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice trembling at the sudden surge of emotion that filled him. He cursed himself inwardly for giving Harry the chance to back out at the last minute, but at the end of the day he needed to make sure that Harry really wanted this. That he wasn't just saying it out of some misguided attempt to placate or humour Teddy.

"I'm more sure about you than I have been about anything for a long time," he answered as he traced Teddy's bottom lip with his thumb. "You were right about Remus. I can't say he would have wanted this exactly, but I don't think he would have begrudged us a chance at happiness. What do you say? Do you still want this old wizard?"

For a few long moments, Teddy could only stare at Harry, the sound of his heart pounding violently in his ears as he processed his words. Finally they sank in and Teddy all but flung himself at Harry.

"Are you kidding?" he asked as he planted a messy, over-enthusiastic kiss on Harry's lips. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against Harry's, looking into his eyes with a giddy smile on his face. "You're mine, Harry Potter."

The grin that spread over Harry's face had Teddy's heart turning in his chest and he couldn't resist leaning in to kiss him again. The kiss quickly turned heated. Teddy's half-hard cock filled rapidly at the teasing, expert probing of Harry's tongue against his, his hips thrusting gently, instinctively against Harry's.

Pulling back, Teddy watched Harry through hooded eyes as he let his hand slip beneath the covers to wrap around his erection. He waited for a rebuke; for Harry to change his mind, but all he did was gasp and arch up into the touch. Relieved and more than a little turned on, Teddy let his gaze fall to Harry's lap. He stared, transfixed at the sight of Harry's cock sliding in and out of the ring of his fingers; thick and glistening and perfect as Harry's voice filled the air with soft sounds of pleasure.

It wasn't enough. Unable to help himself, Teddy repositioned himself and took Harry into his mouth, groaning at the taste of him. A shiver went through him as he heard Harry cry out and he looked up to watch his face as he continued to work his length. Each and every expression and sound Harry made would be forever etched in his mind. Teddy's heart sped even more as Harry's eyes opened and met his, his hand falling to Teddy's head in a gentle caress.

"Teddy..."

That one word was the only warning he got before Harry's grip tightened in his hair and hot fluid filled his mouth. Teddy drank down every drop with relish before pulling off with a rather vulgar slurp and grinning up at Harry who lay panting and shivering in the aftermath.

"That was..."

"Good?" Teddy asked with a tentative smile.

"Perfect," Harry answered before his mouth twisted into a predatory grin. Teddy barely had time to wonder what was afoot before he found their positions reversed. "Turnabout is fairplay."

With that, Harry unceremoniously stripped Teddy of his pyjama bottoms and licked a stripe up the length of his prick. Teddy gasped both at the sensation and the sight of Harry lying between his legs as he mouthed at his cock.

"Delicious," Harry purred.

Teddy cried out, his hands gripping the rumpled sheets beneath him as the heat of Harry's mouth engulfed him. It didn't last long; he was already so close. Harry only managed to suck twice before Teddy was coming with a shout of his name, his hips arching off the bed with the force of it. He laid there for a few long moments, trying to catch his breath as Harry lapped gently at his twitching cock, cleaning the last of his release away. The moment he floated back to himsef, Teddy felt a surge of humiliation. He finally had Harry in his bed, naked and more than willing, and he had to end it like an adolescent getting his first blow job.

"I'm sorry," Teddy mumbled, his face flushing hotly with embarrassment. Harry looked up at him with a curious frown.

"For what?"

"I usually last longer," he answered, looking away as he fought the urge to grab the pillow and hide beneath it. A shiver went through him as Harry shifted and began to place soft, lingering kisses along Teddy's body, making his way up to his mouth. A gentle hand gripped his chin and Teddy allowed his head to be turned until his eyes met Harry's.

"You were perfect," Harry whispered before leaning in to kiss him soundly. Warmth spread through Teddy as Harry's tongue danced with his, their flavours mixing in the most sinfully delightful way. Teddy's arms lifted to wrap around Harry, holding him close as his cock gave a valiant twitch. He couldn't stop the pathetic whimper that escaped him as Harry pulled away with a final peck to his lips.

Harry chuckled, the deep sound resonating through Teddy's body and sending the most wonderful tingle of pleasure down his spine.

"Steady on, Teddy," he teased softly as Teddy's hips arched automatically upward. Harry gently slid from Teddy's arms and moved to lie next to him, gathering him in his arms and snuggling close. "After all, I'm not twenty anymore."

Teddy blushed and smiled, burrowing into Harry's warmth with a happy sigh.

"Besides, we have plenty of time."

~O~

A month later, Teddy was the happiest he could ever remember being in his life. His days were filled with Auror training and his nights were filled with Harry. He was working hard to maintain his position at the top of his class and had found that he rather enjoyed Harry's study techniques. They would spar and if Teddy could defeat him, Harry would fulfil his every whim in the bedroom. Needless to say, Teddy had yet to find a more enticing motivation.

"Nice block, Teddy, but you've got to be quicker on the draw," Harry said as he dodged Teddy's _Stupefy_ and countered with an itching hex that Teddy only just managed to avoid. "Come on, love. Disarm me one more time and I'll wear my old school uniform and let you punish me for being a bold Gryffindor."

Teddy had him disarmed and secure in less than sixty seconds. Harry sent him a wicked grin.

"I thought that might do the trick."

"Shush you, and go get dressed. Professor Lupin wants his prize!" Teddy said imperiously, though the act was marred by the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Harry chuckled and headed for the stairs, letting out a sharp yelp of surprise as Teddy's hand thwacked him across the arse.

Excitement thrumming through him, Teddy hurried to his room – which was really more of a large storage cupboard now that Harry and he had begun sleeping together - and donned a set of robes and a tie. Teddy looked in the full length mirror, put on a stern expression and then ruined it by grinning. It was perfect. The only thing that would make the ensemble better would be a pair of glasses.

Teddy patted down the pockets of his robes for something to transfigure. Coming up short, he moved to the bedside cabinet, opened the top drawer and froze. There, right where he'd last left it, was his father's diary. He hadn't looked at it since the night Harry and he had got together.

Momentarily forgetting his original intent, Teddy picked up the book and thumbed through the pages to the very last entry.

_May 1, 1998_

_Tomorrow is the day. The day we fight. The day Harry defeats Voldemort. In my heart of hearts I know that he will. I have faith in him._

_I don't know how many we will lose, only that the suffering will be great. The losses are already so high. I don't know if I will survive, but Harry will. He must._

_He will triumph and whatever happens afterwards, the world will be a better place. A place where my son can live and grow and flourish. All because of a young man whom I have had the pleasure to know and love._

_I confess...sometimes I wish I had had the courage to say 'yes'._

A ghost of a smile flitted across Teddy's face as stared down at the last sentence. Thanks to his father, he'd found the courage he'd needed to pursue Harry and for that, he'd be eternally grateful.

"Oh professor, I'm waiting for my punishment," Harry called, breaking through Teddy's reverie and making Teddy's smile widen to a full blown grin.

Thanks to his father, he finally had the man of his dreams.


End file.
